Midwifery

• Midwifery


  The practice of assisting women during childbirth
• Midwife


  • In English, the word "midwife" means "with woman", implying the supportive, not interventive, functions of the practitioner
  • In French, a midwife is a sage femme or a "wise woman"
  • In general, midwifery was support of the woman in labor and labor was perceived as basically a natural process
• Objectives of the first midwifery schools in the Philippines


  • 1. To train young women in midwifery to gradually replace the unlicensed midwives or "hilot"
  • 2. To train doctors and nurses for rural assignments/provincial work
  • 3. To give health service and education with emphasis on maternal and child health (MCH)
  • Train students of the school in modern techniques of attending to normal deliveries
  • Give practical education to mothers on the modern procedure of delivery including pre- and post- natal care and care of the babies
• Fuentes,Jr. published a study on the babies

  1996
• The first midwifery schools in the Philippines


  1. A midwifery school was opened in Cebu (Cebu Puericulture Center) with 4 students

  2. In 1923, another school was opened in Bacolod, Negros Occidental with 20 students

  3. In 1965, the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital School of Midwifery offered the Nurse-Midwifery program
• The regulation of midwifery was separated from medicine when Republic Act No. 2382, also known as Medical Act of 1959 was enacted
• RA No. 2644 created the Board of Examiners for Midwives which was composed of a Chairman who was an obstetrician, and two members, one of which was a midwife and the other was a nurse-midwife who must be registered both as a nurse and midwife
• Regulation for midwifery practice (1941-1980)


  1. RA No. 2644 was enacted

  2. RA No. 7392 known as Philippine Midwifery Act of 1992 was enacted to revise RA 2644

  3. The law also promoted the academic preparation of midwives and expanded role of the midwife
• Development of midwifery education in the Philippines


  1. Started as a 6-month course and became a 1-year course

  2. Student midwives were considered "pensionados" before because they were supported by the government – free tuition, free board and lodging and free laundry with allowance

  3. 1952 – Domiciliary Services (DOS) was included in the curriculum
• Development of midwifery in the Philippines


  1. 1974 – Dr. Ricardo B. Gonzales was appointed Chairman of the Board of Midwifery and was considered the Father of Modern Midwifery

  2. 1976 – the course run from 1 year and six months

  3. 1977 – Department of Education, Culture and Sports adopted the 2-year program and was implemented nationwide
• Development of midwifery in the Philippines


  1. 1996 - CHED Memorandum Order No. 24 s. 1992 was implemented by schools of midwifery – this integrated competencies of the midwife in the primary health care

  2. 2000 - CHED Memorandum Order No. 36 s. 2000 was released – included the expanded role of midwife

  3. 2007 – birth of the laderized Bachelor of Science in Midwifery under CHED Memorandum Order No. 33

  4. 2023 – CHED Memorandum Order No. 03 offers the straight BSM curriculum
• Profession


  A calling or occupation in which the members profess to have acquired special knowledge, by training or by experience or by both, so that they may guide or advice or serve others in that special field
• Professionalism


  Demonstration of high level personal, ethical, and skill characteristics of a member of a profession
• Professional adjustment


  The growth of the whole individual and development of all his capacities – physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual – towards efficient and effective performance of his/her profession
• Professional conduct


  Conduct conformable to the accepted standards of a profession; behavior expected of a reputable member of a profession
• Professional midwife


  A person who having been regularly admitted to midwifery educational program, duly recognized in the country in which it is located, has successfully completed the prescribed course of studies in midwifery and has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally licensed to practice midwifery
• Professional midwife


  A responsible and accountable professional whose primary work are instituting preventive measures, promotion of normal birth, the detection of complications in mother and child, the accessing of medical or appropriate assistance and the carrying out of emergency measures
• Professional midwife


  Works in partnership with the mothers during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period through health education and counseling
• Midwifery practice


  The performance or offer to perform or render, for a fee, salary or other reward, compensation, services requiring an understanding of the principles and application of procedures and techniques in the supervision and care of women during pregnancy, labor and puerperium, management of normal deliveries
• Criteria of a profession


  • Professional status is achieved when an occupation involves practice
  • A profession carries great individual responsibility and based up on theoretical Knowledge
  • The privilege to practice is granted only after the individual has completed a standardized program of highly specialized education and has demonstrated an ability to meet the standards for practice
  • The body of specialized knowledge is continually developed and evaluated through research
  • The members are self organized and collectively assume the responsibility of establishing standards for education and practice
  • Autonomy; Self-regulating
  • Provides a specific service. There is altruistic (selfless service)
  • Official recognition of professional status by the government
  • Has a code of ethics for practice
• Fields of midwifery


  • Community
  • Clinic
  • Hospital
  • Rural Health Units
  • Birthing Centers
• Sphere of midwifery practice in the Philippines


  A midwife must be able to give necessary supervision, care and advice to women during pregnancy, labor and the post-partum period, to conduct deliveries on her own responsibility and to care for the newborn and the infant; this care includes preventive measures, the detection of abnormal conditions in the mother and child, and procurement of assistance and the execution of emergency measures in the absence of medical help
• Sphere of midwifery practice in the Philippines


  A midwife has an important task in the counseling and education, not only for the patients but also within the family and community. The work involves antenatal education and preparation for parenthood and extends to certain areas of gynecology, family planning, and child care
• Skills and abilities of professional midwife


  • Technical skills
  • Communication skills
  • Analytical skills
• 1947 – the establishment of the first midwifery association called Philippine Midwifery Association (PHILMIDAS)
• Midwifery associations


  1. 1961 First National Convention of Midwives headed by PHILMIDAS

  2. The National Federation of Filipino Midwives (NFFM) was established

  3. 1974 - PD No. 1275 was declared – "declaring October 22-26, 1974, and the third week of October of every year thereafter as MIDWIFERY WEEK"

  4. 1976 – the two organizations were joined together through the help of Ricardo B. Gonzales, then Chairman of the Midwifery Board
• Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines, Inc.


  A non-profit, non-stock, and non-governmental national organization of the registered midwives in the Philippines, accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission
• IMAP is committed to serve the Filipino people through an effective delivery of basic health services in the country
• IMAP envisions to promote highest standards of Midwifery practice, enhance the competence of its members, reduce maternal and infant mortality, sustain collaboration and partnership with related agencies, both local and international
• IMAP's core values


  • Integrity
  • Motivation
  • Accountability
  • Professionalism
• IMAP's programs


  • Continuing Professional Education
  • Scholarship Program
  • Outreach Program
• Classification of IMAP members


  • Active
  • Affiliate
  • Associate
  • Honorary
• IMAP is headed by the President (Corazon Paras) and the Executive Director (Patricia Gomez) and its Board of Trustees. Election of the BOT is conducted every 3 years
• The International Confederation of Midwives supports, represents and works to strengthen professional association of midwives on a global basis
• Classification of Members of Integrated Nidwives Association of the Philippines, Inc.


  • ACTIVE - graduate registered midwives with a right to vote and participate
  • AFFILIATE - members of a graduating class with no voting privilege but is to be represented
  • ASSOCIATE - a registered nurse and a registered midwife can be member but has no right to vote
  • HONORARY - not necessarily a graduate registered midwife but any individual who has rendered meritorious work in the development of the midwifery profession or assisted in the promotion of the interest and welfare of the association
• IMAP


  Headed by the President (Corazon Paras) and the Executive Director (Patricia Gomez) and its Board of Trustees. Election of the BOT is conducted every 3 years.
• The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM)


  • Supports, represents and works to strengthen professional association of midwives on a global basis
  • Has 140 member associations representing 121 countries across the continent
  • Works with midwives and midwifery associations globally to secure women's rights and access to midwifery care before, during and after childbirth
• ICM


  • An accredited non-government organization representing midwives and midwifery organizations worldwide to achieve common goals in the care of mothers and newborns
  • Works closely with the WHO, UNFPA and other UN Agencies, global professional health care organizations including the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the International Pediatric Association (IPA), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), non-government organizations, bilateral and civic society groups
• ICM's Vision


  A world where every childbearing woman has access to a midwife's care for herself and her newborn
• ICM's Mission


  To strengthen Midwives' Associations and to advance the profession of midwifery globally by promoting autonomous midwives as the most appropriate caregivers for childbearing women and in keeping birth normal, in order to enhance the reproductive health of women, their newborns and their families